Phuket officials firm on beach wedding ban

PHUKET: A resort in Cherng Talay received a warning this morning for holding a wedding ceremony on Pansea Beach on Friday.

“I have only issued a warning, as this is the hotel’s first offence. If the hotel holds any more banned events, it will be fined up to 2,000 baht, under the Public Health Act,” Ma-ann Samran, president of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor), told the Phuket Gazette today. Mr Ma-ann declined to name the resort that received the warning.

Mr Ma-ann, who was made aware of the wedding via a Facebook post, told the Gazette that policing this particular beach was especially tricky, as there is no public access to it via land.

“Police and related officers have been checking the beach via boat. This makes it easier for hotels with direct access to the beach to break the rules,” Mr Ma-ann said.

Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak told the Gazette today that he was unaware of the wedding, but confirmed that such ceremonies and events are banned from every beach on the island.

“Even though such events can bring publicity to Phuket, we cannot allow them to take place on our beaches, as it is public land,” he said.

“However, wedding photos are allowed to be taken on the beach. I think that this is a good compromise, as it promotes Phuket and provides a nice place for wedding photos.”

— Voratuss Intasee